Chicken Nachos

These 30-minute Loaded Chicken Nachos are packed full of mouthwatering Mexican flavors! Complete with fresh Pico de Gallo, tangy sour cream, and creamy avocado, serve this easy recipe as the perfect appetizer at your next party or game day event!

Loaded Chicken Nachos

These sheet pan chicken nachos are a great go-to appetizer to bring to parties, get-togethers, or any game day celebration.

They’re super easy to make with quick clean-up, and everyone loves them!

Jam-packed with your favorite Mexican ingredients, these nachos start with thick restaurant-style tortilla chips that are layered with authentic Pico de Gallo covered shredded chicken and Mexican spiced beans, and topped with all your favorite fixings.

The best part about these nachos is that it can be as store-bought or homemade as you prefer! Most of the ingredients you have in your pantry or down any aisle at your local grocer.

But feel free to make your own Fresh Pico de Gallo and homemade tortilla chips to customize the dish to your taste buds even more.

No matter how you make this dish, one thing is for sure, these easy chicken nachos will be a crowd pleaser and an instant family favorite!

Big fan of nachos? Try my fajita nachos, Italian nachos, apple nachos, and pretzel nachos for dessert too!

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my disclosure policy here.

Ingredients Needed

Tortilla chips: Use the restaurant-style tortilla chips and not the thin and crispy ones as they will break and won’t hold up to all the toppings!

Black beans: Be sure to use cooked black beans. Drain and rinse before mixing with the spices.

Cheese: I prefer using Mexican blend but shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Cotija would be amazing as well!

Chicken: I like to use store bought rotisserie chicken but feel free to use any leftover cooked chicken you may have.

Sour cream: For a lower calorie version, substitute half of the sour cream for Greek yogurt. Or you can use fat free.

Spices: This recipe calls for chili powder, cumin, and black pepper but you can certainly use store bought or a homemade taco seasoning as well. And for seasonings salt and pepper are a must.

Toppings: Pico de gallo, black olives, lime, avocado, jalapeno.

For more insider tips & tricks, and a candid behind the scenes look follow me on social media! Check use out on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (yes, people still use Twitter, LOL!)

How to make Chicken Nachos

First: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Second: Spread tortilla chips on prepared baking sheet. Top tortilla chips with shredded chicken.

Third: In a medium mixing bowl, combine beans and spices. Spread seasoned beans over chicken.

Top with shredded cheese and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Fourth: Remove nachos from oven and top with remaining ingredients. Serve with lime wedges and a sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

What are sheet pan nachos?

Making nachos on a sheet pan is the easiest, quickest, and cleanest way to prepare nachos!

By baking on a sheet pan it ensures that each chip is evenly covered with ingredients while cutting down on the cooking time as it doesn’t take as long to heat through.

Plus, you can serve straight from the sheet making this the perfect way to feed a crowd!

What to serve with chicken nachos

• Pico de gallo
• Restaurant style salsa
• Salsa verde
• Nacho cheese sauce
• Queso blanco (white cheese dip)

There are many other wonderful Mexican inspired dishes that pair well with these baked nachos. Two traditional Mexican dishes that would compliment the nachos well are Spanish Rice and beans.

Mixed these two in with the nachos or kept as separate sides.

If you’re looking for more substantial dishes then quesadillas, tacos, burritos, and enchiladas would be wonderful additions to serve alongside the nachos.

Can I make these in a skillet?

Sure can! The only change to the recipe would be the cooking time as a cast iron skillet allows for more layers and therefore it may take longer to melt the cheese all the way through.

I love making lots of things in my cast iron skillet!

How to store leftover chicken nachos

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

When ready to reheat, spread nachos out on a baking sheet and bake at 275°F for 5-10 minutes or until warmed and cheesy is melty.

How do I keep my nachos from getting soggy?

You can do a couple of things to keep your nachos from getting soggy.

First: Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature. Some ingredients release water as they warm up.

Second: Drain all your ingredients well before adding to the nachos

Third: Bake the chips and cheese first before adding the remaining ingredients. This melted cheese creates a barrier between the other toppings and the chips.

Fourth: Serve items or toppings like diced tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, etc on the side to keep them from dripping onto the chips still waiting to be eaten.

Favorite Toppings for Nachos

• cheese, of course
• black olives
• fresh or pickled jalapenos
• cilantro
• avocado or guacamole
• diced tomatoes
• sour cream
• salsa, salsa verde
• green onions

Tapas Tips & Tricks

• Make clean-up REALLY easy by lining your baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
• Swap out black beans for refried beans.
• If you need more than a sheet pan’s worth of nachos, use an additional skillet or baking dish. Just be aware that it may take a little longer in the oven to ensure the cheese is melted in all the layers.
• Feel free to use a rotisserie chicken from your local grocer or any leftover chicken; especially if it’s ready-to-shred from a crockpot or Instant Pot.
• Use restaurant style tortilla chips as they are a thicker, sturdier chip and hold up better than other varieties.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!

Nachos are a great go-to appetizer, super bowl party, or busy weeknight meal. This homemade chicken sheet pan nachos recipe is easy to make, budget friendly, and ready in under 30-minutes. Plus, everyone loves nachos!

TakeTwoTapas.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.